


Get Up

by chelseachelseaIbelieve



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: M/M, trigger warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-18
Updated: 2013-09-18
Packaged: 2017-12-26 23:39:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/971646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chelseachelseaIbelieve/pseuds/chelseachelseaIbelieve
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Basically this the result of no internet for a couple hours, high emotional vulnerability and hearing "Tears In Heaven" by Eric Clapton.</p><p>Proceed with caution.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Get Up

**Author's Note:**

> This is, structurally, so different from anything I have ever done before and while I am not shy about killing off my characters, I've never published anything with a major character's death so...finger's crossed this isn't a total fail.

It started with a bruise.

A bruise in the offseason.

A bruise the bloomed a deep purple before Jonny had even resumed training.

It wouldn’t go away.

Bruises in odd places.

His trainer refused to continue until he got it checked out.

Jonny did.

Jonny went through so many test with so many names he lost count.

Patrick wrote it all down.

Every name.

Every number.

Jonny laughed at him for keeping a journal.

Until it wasn’t funny anymore.

Jonny had cancer.

They began with radiation.

It wasn’t strong enough.

Chemo made him so weak.

He lost so much weight.

A twin hospital bed replaced their California King.

Patrick learned how to read the numbers on the IV pump.

He learned how to crush pills and flush feeding tubes.

Sponge baths and dirty jokes went hand in hand.

It hurt too much to walk.

Jonny ran his thumb across Patrick cheek.

Patrick hoped.

Jonny knew.

His body wasn’t responding.

It was infecting itself.

It was spreading.

It got worse.

So so much worse.

Until one day it got better.

Jonny got out of bed.

Shaky legs carried him to the kitchen.

He wrapped his arms around Patrick.

Patrick and Jonny cried.

Together in the middle of the kitchen.

Clutching viciously at each other.

Three days later Jonny was gone.

The company came and took the bed away.

No more machines to fill the empty silence in the room.

Their room.

Faces blurred together.

Patrick made decisions no 26 year old should ever have to make.

Patrick picked out Jonny’s favorite suit and laid it across the bed.

He laid down beside it.

Patrick finally cried.

Alone in the middle of their bed.

He closed his eyes.

Patrick felt a hand at his cheek.

The pad of a thumb breaking the track of tears that slid down past his ears.

Patrick opened his eyes.

Jonny was there.

Patrick smiled and leaned into the hand.

“You’re still alive, I knew it.” Patrick closed his eyes and smiled.

“No, I’m not.” Jonny whispered at his ear, “But you still are. Get up!”

Patrick opened his eyes.

Jonny was gone. Patrick was alone.

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts?


End file.
